Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an electrochromic mirror and a structure thereof.
Description of the Related Arts
Electrochromism is the phenomenon displayed by some materials of reversibly changing color due to the direction of an electric field when a voltage is applied. A material capable of undergoing the reversible changes of optical properties by an electrochemical redox reaction accompanying such electrochromism properties is called an electrochromic material. That is, the electrochromic material does not have a color when an electrical signal is not applied from an external source, and then has a certain color when the electrical signal is applied. On the contrary to this, the electrochromic material has a certain color when the electrical signal is not applied from the external source, and then the color disappears when the electrical signal is applied.
An electrochromic device, which is a device using the phenomenon in which light transmission of the electrochromic material is changed by an electrochemical redox reaction, has been used for adjusting the light transmission or reflectance of a window glass for building or a mirror for automobiles. Recently, as the electrochromic device has been known to have an infrared cutoff effect as well as a color variation in a visible ray area, it has been receiving a great deal of attention with regard to the possibility of application as an energy-saving type product.
In particular, the electrochromic mirror (ECM) is a mirror which stably protects a driver's field of vision by providing a variation in reflectance depending upon discoloration of the mirror while automatically sensing the strong beam of a car reflected from a car mirror in the daytime or at night.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic structure of a conventional electrochromic mirror. Referring to the drawing, the conventional electrochromic device is configured such that a first transparent substrate 10 and a second transparent substrate 20 facing each other are disposed to be spaced apart from each other, a transparent electrode 30 and a conductive reflection layer 40 are each formed on facing surfaces of the first and second transparent 10 and 20, a space is formed between the transparent electrode 30 and the conductive reflection layer 40 using a sealant 50, and an electrochromic layer 60 is formed by injecting an electrochromic material and an electrolyte into the space formed as above. This conventional electrochromic device, particularly, the electrochromic mirror, functions to protect a driver's field of vision by using the electrochromic material in order to reduce the reflectance of light.
However, in the conventional electrochromic mirror, when the electrochromic layer 60 is formed, air and moisture of the outside should be blocked in order to increase the durability of an electrochromic function. To do so, the electrochromic material and the electrolyte should be injected in a vacuum state by bonding the first transparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20.
Accordingly, the conventional electrochromic mirror is problematic in that a high cost is generated due to the vacuum bonding process, and a weight increases because two transparent substrates 10 and 20 such as a glass substrate are used, and in consideration of this, there is a need to design a housing.